Return
by Morbane
Summary: An intelligent Slowpoke, Zoe, is separated from her trainer, and joins another to help her get back. But the new team has problems more serious than hers.
1. Escape to the Wilderness

Disclaimer: Pokémon is not mine. It sprung from the inspiration of Satoshi Tajiri, was made into a game by GameFreak, was adopted by Nintendo, and was bought in parts by 4Kids and Warner Bros. I'm sure I've missed something out. In conclusion, though, I have no right to it. 

What I do claim is Zoe, my main character here. 

This story is dedicated to Oddish, who is simply fantastic, Draconicality, a faithful reviewer and no mean writer either, and to Mega Mewtwo… as all my Pokémon fics should be. 

Return, Zoe's Story  
By Morbane

Five days, I thought. Five days. Or maybe it was four. The heat and the dust and the bright reflected sun-glare all combined to wear me down and confuse me, and addle my sense of time. Not long before I'd be in a sick delirium from the thirst. You wouldn't think it, but water Pokémon don't have great water reserves. In fact, we need to keep pretty wet to be happy. That is, Slowpokes, like me, do. But I think it's the same for the rest of the water types. I know a certain Psyduck would agree - but no. I tried not to think of him. I didn't know if I would ever see him again. 

I stopped walking for a moment, to catch my breath. The day blazed all around me and a puff of dust rose up from the road and scattered over me. I wondered, briefly, if it would have been better to stay in the truck. The Team Rocket truck. I remembered the net and the jam of Pokémon and shuddered. No thanks. There had been no shade, and I'd gotten bruised every time someone moved. They hadn't fed us, either, in all the hours we'd been travelling, since they'd left their base late at night and headed out, cross country. We had escaped the next day. 

I had been conked out for most of the journey. I awoke mid morning, when a terrified young Nidoking used its Thrash attack in a doomed attempt to get out of the net that bound us together. 

I awoke battle-ready, as I had been trained. For the first few minutes I kept quiet, which was what they'd expect. No one thinks a Slowpoke could have brains. They're the ignorant ones. 

"Slowww-poke poke!" (Quit it!) I yelled, reinforcing my meaning with a psychic command. My words cut through the confusion, and slowly the noise died down. Most of them didn't realise what type of Pokémon I was. 

"We want to get out of here, right?" I asked. "So quit fighting each other! Everyone who's on the outside, next to the net, get your strongest attacks and aim them outwards!" They were tense and ready immediately. "Go!" I yelled. 

Everyone was so keyed up that the combined attacks split the walls of the truck, which were only wooden, right apart. The Pokémon spilled out in every direction. But the Team Rocket pair, up front, who had been driving the truck, jumped out unhurt and called their Pokémon out to round us up. 

Everyone was scattering, but the way things were going, the smallest and slowest Pokémon were going to get captured all over again. "Come back!" I yelled. That startled them. Most of them thought I was out of my mind. "Take down Team Rocket, and hurry!" I headed the attack with my Psychic move. 

"Come over this side, Ross!" the female human yelled. 

"I can't! They're ganging up on me! Help me out here, Vanessa!" her partner replied. They were outnumbered – and I can't remember ever feeling so satisfied as when we knocked them out. The noise died down, and everyone who'd been in the truck began to run away. 

I wondered why I had been the only one sensible enough not to travel in the heat of the day. Everyone else was surely exhausted. I hoped they survived. Only I had hidden under a dessicated bush and slept until evening, to conserve my energy. Long before I stirred, Team Rocket and their Pokémon had picked themselves up and limped off with what they had. When I awoke, I was alone. 

But now it was the heat of the day, and I was travelling. I hadn't slept for a day and a half. Despite the toll the heat would take on me, I knew I needed to get to water. My best hope was the mountains. 

At least I generally knew where I was. I was in the Sunlands 'desert' behind a certain mountain range, under which ran a very famous tunnel, known simply as the Rock Tunnel. On the other side of the mountains was a hard-to-get-to, mysterious building called the Power Plant. I thought that in the mountains I would find water. 

Where I was wasn't really a desert, with sands and all that, but it was hot and dusty and little grew there. I was just at the foot of the mountains, but I didn't know whether I would make it to the top. Wearily, I began the climb. 

Right now, I needed water desperately. But if I survived... I would probably go down the other side of the mountains to Lavender Town, and from there begin the journey back to Celadon City. That was where I had been before Team Rocket had captured me, and where I had last been with my trainer, Raoul. I hoped I would find him there. What if he didn't wait for me?

Halfway through the afternoon, I thought I heard water. Oh, if only! I went faster, going from snail's pace to a normal speed. Surely - a water Pokémon's senses are never wrong when it comes to a particular element. Finally, I was there. 

It was beyond what I had hoped for. A clear, pure mountain stream, cool snowmelt, flowing into a pool and down the mountainside. I bounded up the last few metres and jumped in. Wow, that felt nice. 

For a while, I was happy just to swim and drink. But gradually, the afternoon deepened into evening and the evening got darker. With a gentle Psychic 'attack', I heated the water around me and fell asleep, floating on the surface of the pool. 

The dawn was beautiful. From the pool, I could see so far! North, across the desert, I could see the sea. Over in the East, the sun broke the horizon and inflamed the clouds. "That means rain," I said thoughtfully to myself. "That's good. If it rains a little on the drylands, it'll help the other Pokémon who got captured by Team Rocket. I wonder where they are now." I also wondered where they'd come from. My trainer had brought us to Celadon City to take part in a special Pokémon tournament. But some members of Team Rocket had apparently kidnapped the tournament's organisers, and had rigged the tournament so that they could capture all the Pokémon. Each pair had split up with some of the Pokémon, and taken them away in all different directions. Our group of Pokémon had escaped, but who knew where they'd gone. 

I went looking for food – seaweed, lake plants, that kind of stuff. Then I had a nap on the bank of the pool. 

What woke me was a trainer's footsteps, heavy in the bushes. 

I blinked as a Pokémon materialised in front of my eyes. "Slow," I said groggily, but then I realised that the trainer wasn't just my dreams, and that he had sent out his Pokémon to Battle. 

It was a Growlithe. His tail, mane, and spurs were pure white and his stripes were bright and distinct. He was obviously well cared-for, but behind his determined, optimistic expression (usual for all Growlithe) there was stress. 

Immediately I was on my guard. I summoned my psychic energies, focussing them for a Confusion attack, but to my surprise Growlithe didn't obey his trainer's orders to attack me. 

"Come on, Joel," the trainer said. He was younger than my trainer, Raoul; he had lighter brown hair, wide blue eyes and acne. "Help me capture this Slowpoke - you might even rise a level yourself!"

Through loyalty to his trainer, Joel the Growlithe spat a half-hearted, half-warm Ember at me. Automatically, I dived into the water. Now that he knew he wouldn't have to come after me, he sent a stronger Ember after me. 

I couldn't understand why he'd done that. A fire move would surely dissipate in the water and cause me no harm at all. 

However, his attack heated the water so much that I couldn't stay in it any longer. Joel looked more surprised than I as I jumped out hurriedly, feeling as though I was in a bath and someone had just turned on five hot taps at once. 

I hit him hard with Water Gun. He didn't even attack back. 

"Why won't you fight me?" I asked him in confusion. "I want to be captured." His eyes widened and he shook his head shaggily. 

It might be risky to allow myself to be captured by a trainer, but I decided that I would need a human's help to make it back to Raoul. I could only hope that when we reached him, Raoul would help this trainer understand that I was his. 

It was a very strange battle we fought. Neither of us wanted to win - I didn't because I wanted Joel's trainer to capture me, and for some strange reason Joel was holding back. Finally I put a stop to it. 

I tweaked an empty Pokéball off Joel's trainer's belt with Psychic powers. As I opened it Joel's eyes went wide and horrified. "No! Don't! You don't understand!" he barked in Growlithe language. Too late. The darkness closed round me. I closed my eyes. 

****

flashback

"Hey, Zoe," said Raoul, letting me, Kyle and Taz out of the Pokéballs. "You might want some exercise before the match." He grinned, giving us thumbs up. "Be back in a bit, ok? We're going to win this."

Taz and Kyle were full of optimism as we headed off to the Celadon City park. "Hey, anything wrong?" Kyle, my best friend, asked. He looked puzzledly at me - Psyduck eyes are very expressive. 

"Oh... I've just got a weird premonition..."

Kyle concentrated as he accessed and focussed his psychic powers. "I can't sense anything," he said. "Maybe you're overreacting. Or maybe you sense something wrong that will only happen to you." 

"I don't know," I said. "There's... many... involved in this... many... Pokémon. Not humans - well, humans are involved in it but..."

Kyle rolled his eyes. "It's confusing, isn't it," he commented. I nodded. 

Kyle and I had more than Psychic powers in common. Psyducks and Slowpokes are seen as the dolts of the Pokémon world. But not all of us are actually burdened with low intelligence. I moved out when I was only level 1 because I couldn't bear my family. They were nice and kind but they just didn't understand - not because they didn't want to. Then Raoul picked me up. He only had Taz, Jag, and Sylvie then. 

Raoul is the coolest trainer in the world. 

"I need a drink," said Taz cheerfully. He flew off in the direction of the lake. He was happy flying now that it was dusk - you can't persuade a zubat to stir during full sunlight, usually. He'll fight during daytime in matches, however. Since he's fighting for Raoul. 

Kyle went off with him and I sat on the grass at the edge of the park, looking at the sunset. My ey e was caught by a young woman in black, with a tiny red R on her collar. She was talking to a laptop computer. Sounds issued forth from it, replying to her. I inched closer, so I could hear and see better. 

"All is ready, sir," said the woman, bowing her head briefly. "All of your patrols are in place. There will be no mistakes."

"There must not be, this time," said a snarling voice from her computer. A picture of a man took up the whole screen. He sat in a chair, a Persian beside him. 

"Of course, Giovanni." 

"I hope you understand the importance of this mission," said Giovanni coolly. His hair was dark brown and greying, and his eyes suggested didn't like to be disobeyed.

"Of course, Boss."

"A failure - like the last mission you took control of..."

"Will not be repeated. There were circumstances we had no part of, factors we could not control." She talked faster. She was scared, I thought. 

"Very well. I expect to hear your report in two hours." He lifted a glass off his desk. "To your success." The Persian purred deep in its throat. 

The screen blanked, and the woman hurried off, now speaking into a mobile phone. 

"Let's go back," I said, when I found Kyle and Taz. "There's something creepy happening." 

I couldn't convince Raoul that anything was wrong, when I got back. He thought I was nervous about the battle to come. 

****

end of flashback

I drifted back from my memories. If only Raoul had understood... 

The Growlithe was right. There were several things that _I_ didn't understand. 


	2. Harsh Words

Dedications: To Team P.I.K.A., Oddish, and Lightning-Strike. And Ze Dragon Mistress, Chenloeth and Seng, of course. 

Review thank-yous are at the end of the chapter.

Return: Zoe's Story by Morbane: A Pokémon Tale.  
Chapter Two. 

I was let out in the evening of what I guessed was the same day. We were in a clearing just like the one I had been captured in, but I could tell that we were further up the mountain now. 

The other Pokémon and I had been let out on one side of the clearing. Near the middle, my temporary trainer was trying to set up a campfire. 

I noticed that there were six of us. That made me think. Travelling Pokémon trainers usually have about 3 or 4 Pokémon in their line-up; the ones that are more interested in battling have more Pokémon. So my temporary trainer was a battle fan. Raoul had been one too. 

So that I could stop calling the boy 'temporary trainer', I asked my nearest team-mate, a Bulbasaur, "What is your trainer's name?"

"Ben," he said. "And my name's Bramble."

"Where are you travelling to?"

"Well, first Lavender, then to Seafoam for the Cold Badge, then Viridian for the Earth Badge. Then Ben is going to try to get into the Indigo League Tournament."

That was weird. Why had Bramble said 'Ben is going to try' rather than 'We are going to try?' Most Pokémon would say 'we'. 

"Is Ben a good trainer?"

"Don't answer, Bramble," snarled a Ponyta, walking up from behind us to light the campfire. She swung her head back to him. "Don't say one bloody word to that unspeakable Slowp***."

I was amazed by the viciousness and bitterness in her tone. 

Although some of the other Pokémon gave her reproachful looks, none of them talked to me for the rest of the evening, even Bramble; they treated me as if I weren't there. 

All of us were recalled at dark, but none of Ben's Pokémon seemed to want to go into their balls. Joel's actions were the strangest - he gave Ben one mournful look and leapt for his Pokéball without needing to be asked. I didn't understand this team. They seemed to feel loyalty towards Ben, but they treated him as if he'd done something terrible to them. 

I went to sleep with the Growlithe's expression floating on the insides of my eyelids.

When I woke up, I could have been forgiven for feeling disconcerted. It was as black as a black hole. There were no stars, and no moon. The air smelt earthy and close. 

"Slowpoke." Said Ben quietly, from somewhere around me. "Do you know Flash?"

I didn't. I did my best to create a light, though, using Psychic again. (That TM was turning out to be really handy out of battle). The brightest I could get it was a sort of dim glow, existing for only a metre or two around me. By which I could see that we were in a cave, one with a high ceiling. 

I wasn't used to feeling so disoriented. Raoul had kept us out of our Pokéballs most of the time, so we always knew where we were and how we'd got there. And our Pokéballs themselves were of the kind that allowed us to see out of them. I knew that some trainers kept their Pokémon in their balls all the time, calling them out only when they needed them, but I hadn't guessed how strange that felt - to be recalled in one location, and called out somewhere completely different. 

Ben called out another of his team, a Sandshrew, who looked perfectly used to what was confusing me. This Pokémon, I remembered, was called Grit - or at least, that was how the others had addressed him around the campfire last night. 

"Grit, can you tell me if anything is about to collapse in here? Is this tunnel secure?"

Grit nodded twice. 

"Good." Ben came over to me. "Slowpoke, keep that light up if you can. We're in the Rock Tunnel, and I think I know which part of it, but we'll have to explore a bit before I can be sure." I nodded heavily to show that I understood. 

He appeared to be surprised. "You seem as if you've done this before. 

I nodded. And made my expression blank. I could tell him about all of this later, after we were out of this cave. Caves creeped me out. 

We walked for hours. I knew that soon I would have to lower the strength of my Psychic light if I wanted to keep it up, and as if he'd picked up my thought, Ben said, "We should take a break now. By my watch, it's about 2 PM, so we can afford a rest; I'd like to find one of the regular trails by nightfall. You can drop your Psychic attack, Slowpoke; I can manage with a glowstick for a while."

So he had one of those crummy emergency glow-in-the-dark plastic sticks that barely lit up your snout if you touched them to your forehead. And he was willing to make do with it, just because he'd shrewdly observed that I was getting tired. 

He was impressing me. 

But if he was as good a trainer as he appeared, why did his Pokémon seem so unhappy with him? 

I looked across at the Sandshrew - not that I could see him that well in the darkness; I just knew he was there because I could sense his mind. I didn't know if I should risk asking him about all this, but at least the Ponyta wasn't there, so I tried, "Grit? What is wrong about Ben?"

"Nothing!" Grit snapped. "Ben is a great trainer and we are glad that we are with him."

"But you're not happy with him. And what's wrong with the Ponyta - why is she mad at me?"

"For very good reasons," said Grit harshly. "I think _you_ need to supply us with some answers. Who are you, anyway, Slowpoke? And why-the-h*** did you 'join' our team?"

Because of Raoul, of course. Maybe he'd understand that. 

"My name is Zoe," I began. "It was given to me by my first, last, and only trainer, Raoul. Up to a week ago, I had been with him for two years. He is a wonderful trainer and I was separated from him by Team Rocket at a tournament in Celadon. I think that of Raoul's six Pokémon I was the only one captured. 

"Two Team Rocket members drove a group of Pokémon and me out into the desert behind these mountains; I don't know where they were going. I directed the rest of the Pokémon to successfully escape, although after we got away from Team Rocket, we all split up and I am not sure that everyone survived who was in the Team Rocket truck. 

"On the sixth morning - I think - after I escaped from Team Rocket and headed for the mountains, I encountered your Ben, and Joel. I decided to let Ben capture me because trainers can travel more easily than Pokémon on their own, and if I'm going to find Raoul again, I'll need the help of a trainer. I'll cooperate with Ben and follow his orders as long as we're moving. If I need to split up with him, I think I can make myself understood well enough."

I finished, made a gesture, and looked back at him. I couldn't see his face, let alone his expression. 

Another question came out of the darkness. "You took a risk, allowing yourself to be captured by the first trainer that came along."

"I'd had some time to weigh my options. By the 5th day, I was almost dehydrated and I was just lucky to make it up the mountain. I needed a trainer - and I _wasn't going to get back to Raoul any other way_."

"You're that loyal to your trainer?"

"Of course."

Raoul was Raoul. I couldn't _not_ want to be training with him. The past two years were the best in my life... 

Silence for a while from Grit; I kept silent too. I felt a little curiousity from Ben, and a touch of mental inquiry that meant he must have looked our way with eyebrows raised. 

"All right," said Grit deliberately. "If your trainer is the reason you joined us, then I think you can understand our situation, and I think you have the right to hear it now. But I'm not the best one to tell you. Blazebrand is."

I guessed from the name type that this was the Ponyta's name.

"She will tell you if she knows your situation. But respect her because she does have a reason to be angry with you. We all do. Now that I understand you better, I see that it was your situation and it couldn't be helped. But I still wish you hadn't joined us." 

Ben told us that we were going to start walking again and I kindled my light. I had a lot to think about, but I felt better - Grit had at least promised me the key to this mystery, and given me a affinity with his team - we both understood the kind of loyalty that can be felt by Pokémon towards their trainers. 

Grit didn't tell me any more about Ben, but quickly and concisely explained our situation. Apparently Ben and the Spearow had stumbled into an opening to a branch of the Rock Tunnel, and for some reason, the way out had been blocked. The way he told it suggested other humans had been involved. Team Rocket maybe? (Pokégods, I was getting obsessed with them!)

Now we were trying to find the main tunnels, through which we would make our way to Lavender Town. 

I was a lot more tired and my head spun when we found a well-used looking triple fork in the trail. "Well done, Pokémon!" Ben said, looking pleased. "I know where we are now! Let's set up camp here for the night. If we make enough progress, we'll be out by tomorrow evening."

I only had to keep up my light for the time it took for Joel and Blazebrand to light a fire. There was nothing to burn in the caves, but Ben had brought some firewood along. He edged it with rocks and soon we were all gathered round it. 

After we'd eaten - and the food had a lovely barbequed taste - I saw Grit talking softly to Blazebrand, who looked worried and thoughtful. When Ben and Bramble went to look for some water up one of the forks, the rest of the Pokémon turned to me. 

To their serious faces, I repeated my story, trying to tell it exactly the way I had before. Ben's Spearow, Javelin, looked openly approving and relieved, but Joel looked plain miserable and Grit and Blazebrand, still worried. The four of them drew back to the other side of the fire, leaving me alone and pensive. 

Something was really wrong here. 

Was Ben in league with Team Rocket? Did he catch Pokémon and give them to the elusive 'Boss'? But if that was so, I couldn't imagine how my arrival would have changed anything. Although I was depressed to imagine that, having escaped from two Team Rocket members, I had willingly put myself in the hands of another. 

Did Ben hurt his Pokémon? No, they were too well-cared for; even I could see that. Did he give them banned drugs to help their battle abilities? From the way they moved and acted, no. 

What was going on?

Blazebrand returned to me, and began to quiz me again. 

"What powerlevel are you at ...Zoe?"

"35."

Blazebrand's ears folded to the sides a little. This was a uniquely Ponyta/Rapidash gesture, similar to raised eyebrows in humans. For some reason, she looked a bit happier... or more hopeful?

"So your moves are... Headbutt,"

"-Psychic, Disable, Confusion, Water Gun, Tackle, Growl."

"Seven. Not bad."

Not extraordinary either. Most wild Pokémon had an average of four moves, forgetting their last one when they learned a new one, but well trained Pokémon could hold up to twelve or thirteen. I think the record was held by Gary's Eevee before he evolved it - 16.

"How do you feel about evolving, Zoe?"

Good question, since I'd be able to evolve if I went up two power levels. 

"I don't know. When I gain one more level I'm going to try and find a Shellder community and talk to them about it. But I like myself how I am." 

"You want to evolve naturally. Well. Your evolution is very important. I also suppose it will affect how long you stay with us," said Blazebrand carefully. She shuffled her feet a little, shook her shoulders and returned her gaze to me. 

"When we evolve, Ben releases us."

Now to thank my reviewers!

Lightning-Strike: I'm delighted that you like it. As you can see I _am_ continuing. :)

Miss Black Dragon: Thanks to you too. Well, I suppose it could have been Cassidy. In the fic, she's just an anonymous female Team Rocket member who never turns up again… grin… or at least, I don't think she does. 

Cadmuse: - Why don't you write? I know you don't, so it's a legitimate question. Why don't you write? But thank you. You're right, those are the weak points of the fic. But now that I've written Chapter Four, I'm pleased with this story. It's getting better. And don't say 'anything would be better'. That's practically plagiarism. *grin*


	3. Point of No Return

Return: Zoe's Story, by Morbane: A Pokémon Tale  
Chapter 3

She shuffled her feet a little, shook her shoulders, and returned her gaze to me. 

"When we evolve, Ben releases us."

I was confused. 

Few Pokémon wanted to stay with their trainers for their entire life. What was wrong with release? 

"Blazebrand, is that so bad? Would you rather be with Ben until either you or he dies?"

"It's not a choice. He trains us until we evolve, then he releases us into the nearest Pokémon area. We," she shrugged, "we don't see him again."

"But... that's awful! That's not release! That's abandonment!"

"SHUT UP!" Blazebrand screamed at me. She reared up to her full height over me, smoking all over with fury. I had made a big mistake in 'attacking' her trainer. "_Never say that again! _Ben would never abandon us! You don't understand at all! Just listen to what I'm trying to tell you!"

I stayed quite still where I was, dipped my head in apology, and kept my eyes on her. She returned to all fours, glaring at me, and breathing smoke through her teeth. 

"Don't judge so quickly," said Grit, coming up beside her. He started to say something else but was interrupted by Joel - 

"He doesn't do it because he's tired of us or anything. That's why it's so bad. He thinks it's the _duty_ of a trainer to return us to the wild when we're powerful enough."

"Ben thinks he's doing the right thing." Grit told me. 

"He catches us when we're lonely and weak and then - he turns us into powerful Pokémon that can do anything, and puts us back in the wild." Blazebrand said forlornly. 

"He thinks that we belong there - that we're happier there - but he doesn't give us a choice!" Joel continued, ignoring Blazebrand's hurt look at this new criticism of Ben. "If he had any perception at all he'd realise that we want to stay with him! If he'd give us a choice we'd never go!"

"We want to fight for him," said Grit, "but we don't want the experience that battle gives us; it accumulates and then we'll evolve and we'll leave him. But he doesn't understand that when we refuse to battle for him, we're actually showing loyalty."

"Loyalty not just in wanting to follow him," Joel said heatedly, "but in the fact that we question him. Loyalty is not just blind obedience. It's helping the one you're loyal to, figure out if he is really what he wants to be. And Ben is a bad trainer in that way - because he doesn't question himself. Otherwise..." he trailed off wistfully. 

Blazebrand screamed a challenge at Joel's apparent subordination, and literally blazed with her fires. Joel glared at her and began forming an Ember attack in his mouth. 

Luckily, being a water Pokémon, I was able to cool them down very quickly with bubbles. 

"Ben and Bramble are coming back!" Grit warned. "Their feet are coming this way." Of course, being attuned to the Earth, the Sandshrew would feel the vibrations coming through the ground. 

"I'll help you if I can," I told them quickly, now able to hear the sound of Ben's footfalls myself. And that was the conclusion of our talk, as Ben and Bramble came running. 

Now that we were back on the main trails, the route was wide enough that Blazebrand could come out instead of me and use _her_ light to guide Ben. So I didn't get out of 'my' Pokéball until the middle of next morning, when we came out on the side of the Rock Tunnel. 

I knew it was mid-morning before I was released; that's a knack that most Pokémon have. If they're kept for too long in a Pokéball, though, it gets harder and harder to tell time. 

It was especially for me this time because I had set myself to sleep for eight hours exactly, and I could count back from that. 

Pokémon have so many abilities and powers, sometimes I wonder why we follow humans. 

But only humans can teach us science, languages, culture... feed us popcorn... show us music... teach us about ourselves. 

(Pokégods, _how_ I missed Raoul...)

... And the others. I went through their names, slowly, considering them. Taz. The Zubat we'd caught in the Caves of Relation, then level 12 and very sure of himself. He dive-bombed Raoul trying to impress some girl Zubat, but she ran away. So when we'd defeated him, we had to cure him not only of battle-injuries but also of heartbreak over 'her betrayal'. THAT took some doing…

Kyle: simply my best friend. We were caught in the same river; first Sylvie and Kyle bumped into each other among some reeds, and Kyle challenged her; then Raoul slipped as he tried to ford the stream, a few days later and a lot farther down, and nearly fell on _me_. My trainer obviously learned a few lessons in river-crossing that week. And we had so many things in common, a Psyduck and a Slowpoke...

Sylvie was Raoul's first Pokémon; he chose her for his starter, but when I met them she'd already evolved, into Ivysaur. She was so patient, and she had such a sense of humour. Sometimes she was just like a mother to Taz and Ingot... but Pokégods, she could be _evil_ when she was mad...

Jag, the Pidgeot; well, he was a Pidgeotto when I joined the group; apparently, he was Raoul's first capture, and had just evolved. He evolved into Pidgeot so fast I thought he must have set a speed record. Now, he was a _good_ fighter. Really good… And if Sylvie was a mother, Jag was like a big brother… 

Ingot... the last addition to our team; an Onix from the Victory Path caves. Kind of impulsive, but he was one of those rare Pokémon who actually tries to be caught by a trainer, and he and Raoul got along well. It took a while for the rest of us to make friends with him, though. He never said very much at a time, but he was very steady in battle...

I missed them, especially walking along with this unhappy team. 

Finally leaving the caves, we set out down the side of the mountain to Lavender. The town was visible from a distance - the Ghost Tower certainly stuck out - and even the weather was nice. 

Ben was happy to walk along at a speed that even the Bulbasaur could keep up with (occasionally Javelin rode on Blazebrand, keeping _well_ away from her mane). From the attitudes of the Pokémon around me, this was something they liked to do - just walk, all together - and even Blazebrand relaxed a bit. 

Joel walked alongside me and explained a bit more. Ben always had at least 5 Pokémon, but he never kept more than six. So when he released one Pokémon, he would always catch another before he released a Pokémon again. 

That was why they seemed to be blaming some of this mess on me. Bad enough that I had been captured, but that I had basically forced my way onto the team - that was unacceptable. My presence meant that Ben had a full team, and as soon as any of the others evolved, they would probably be released. 

For Joel, it was slightly different, because he wouldn't evolve into Arcanine on his own, but he explained that he would be evolved at L.50, when he learned Flamethrower. 

"But what about Extreme Speed?" I asked, naming the move that he would learn at L.50 if he had already evolved into Arcanine. 

"He got someone to help translate for him, and I told him I would rather learn Agility and Flamethrower than Extreme Speed. Besides," he paused, and I was on the point of prompting him, when he continued, "besides, that meant I would be released after Level 50, not at Level 34."

Oh. 

"Hey, just a minute," I said, picking up something in what he'd just said, "he needed a translator? Can't he understand Pokémon speech?"

"Not usually. Some basic concepts, like food, and fear, and danger. But… generally, no."

__

Oh. 

Joel told me everyone's levels; Javelin was at L.18, Bramble was at L.13, Grit was at L.18, Blazebrand was at L.34, and Joel himself was at L.39. 

"So… Javelin will probably be released next," I said quietly, "then Grit… then Blazebrand."

"You say it so lightly," said Joel angrily. 

"I'm sorry," I said. 

"It seems that the only way I can help, is to evolve." I said later, after a pause of thought. 

"Is that all you can do?" Joel burst out, and leapt ahead of me, leaving me to walk silently with Bramble. 

By the time I'd reached the Pokémon centre I still hadn't thought of any other solution. In a mood of silence, we ate lunch and were rejuvenated. We were left at the Pokémon centre while Ben went shopping, and in our Pokéballs we slept that night. 

Next morning, I made sure to check the newspapers for news about the Team Rocket Celadon heist. I had to go through a few back issues to get the full news that I wanted, but it was easy enough. I knew the correct human-Pokémon signs to use, and the Nurse Joy helped me, obviously thinking that my trainer had sent me for them. 

Unfortunately, it seemed as if the heist had been largely successful. Only the Pokémon of my truck, and one other, had been recovered. How had we done it? I guess we had been lucky. We hadn't been secured very well in the truck; Vanessa and Ross had been unable to get our Pokéballs, and the other Rocketeers had managed to get the Pokéballs of the Pokémon they stole, which had made it more easy for them. 

The only Rocketeers arrested were those of the other truck. They had little information. 

There were plenty of editorials and sideline articles about the event. I read them all. People were pretty shocked that it had happened at all – it was a symbol of the growing power of Team Rocket. According to all the security experts, it shouldn't have happened. They couldn't explain it at all. 

I found a good article about the fate of the other Pokémon in my truck. Apparently, a police squad had tracked the truck out to the desert a day after the event. The truck's wreckage must have been plainly visible, and from there, rescue teams had recovered most of the Pokémon. Only a few were still missing. 

The names of every missing Pokémon, plus short descriptions and personal messages from each trainer, were featured in the previous day's paper. I found my own name and description, (in Raoul's writing style - _homesick, homesick_), and cut it out of the paper very carefully. 

I had in my possession a strip of paper that could return me to Raoul. If I presented it to Ben, he wouldn't need to understand Pokémon speech to realise that I was the Pokémon described in print. He already had a few suspicions about my past, didn't he?

But - I'm still not sure why - I hesitated. 

All my problems would be solved. But the ones I'd _caused_ wouldn't be. 

"Is that all?" Joel had said. Was that all I could do? Just abandon this group? Without even trying to help them, to enlighten Ben? That was unfair. 

And Joel's challenge rose up before me like a wall between Raoul and I. I would return. But I had a Pokémon journey to undertake first. 

Hiding the strip of paper in a miniscule, near-invisible waterproof pouch in my ear (usually used to hold berries; I'd eaten the last one after escaping Team Rocket), I walked back to my team. 

It cost me a lot. 

I made one concession to Raoul, though. I stole a little square piece of sticky notepaper and a pen, clumsily drew a special symbol on it, and pinned it to the Pokémon Centre billboard. That was my version of "Zoe was here". Raoul had taught it to us. 

Thank you, everyone, for support, and just for reading this (and my other fics!). 

Rika and Lightning-Strike: Thanks for your enthusiastic reviews!! I hope I've answered your questions. And I'm trying to work out chapter 4 at the moment – so if you have any suggestions, PLEASE tell me. Why not email me? (That applies to anyone, basically) 

Also, to Rika: I tried to look you up in the Authors directory, but there are just too many Rikas! Which one are you?

MadFearow: Thanks. I'm really glad you like my fic. 

Deena: Well, you write well too… and here's the next chapter; if I'm lucky, you'll still want more. 

eek: Aww, thanks. Reviews like this make my day. I'm sorry I took so long with this chapter. 

Farla: Thank you. Well… now that you've read the chapter, hope you liked it. BTW, I want Zoe to be an example of a _well_ trained Pokémon – a Pokémon whose trainer understands her needs, and serves her as much as she serves him. Although I'm writing a more in-depth fic about the right way to train later. 

Miss Black Dragon: Yes, I guess I was trying to cram a lot of info in. By the fourth chapter, the pace will be a bit better, I think.

Siya, ppl! 

~Morbane


	4. Powerful Friends

NB: Review thank-yous, as always, at the end of the chapter *smile*.

Return: Zoe's Story, by Morbane: A Pokémon Tale  
Chapter 4

That day, I experienced Ben's team's 'normal' routine for the first time. 

We went out to the fields around Lavender Town and trained. The air was mild. It was early autumn. I hoped I'd be back with Raoul before winter. 

We scourged the grass for wild Pokémon who wanted to fight, and took turns battling them. Rattata and Spearow appeared in huge numbers and we fainted them left and right. 

I didn't have any problems with fainting wild Pokémon. It's just the way wild Pokémon tribes are organised - and I should know. Most species of Pokémon live in the wild in large groups. The strongest, fastest, and most powerful Pokémon range on the edge of the territory and fight outsiders, including human-trained Pokémon. They warn the rest of their tribe if something dangerous comes, and fight into fainting if they need to. The Pokémon we battled knew we didn't mean to do anything worse than faint them, and most of them could use the battle experience. 

By the way, many trainers think that a Pokémon gains no experience points if it loses a fight. That's an urban myth. Of course they gain exp. points - just not nearly as many as if they won. And for Pokémon in training, the point-gain after a loss is small enough to be almost useless.

For the record, I noticed that several Pokémon returned to fight us again. Once or twice, the wild ones beat us. Ben had Revives on hand, luckily, to restore us immediately. 

It was fun. It wasn't the same training style as Raoul's, however. Raoul liked to battle us against each other and hone each of our separate skills. It wasn't very often that we spent a whole day fighting wild Pokémon. 

Each to his own. I was enjoying myself. 

Towards the late afternoon, another trainer appeared in the fields. She was younger than Ben and had a Rhyhorn walking beside her. Both the trainer and her Pokémon had a load on their backs. 

"Hello!" she called as she approached. "Would you like a Pokémon battle?"

Ben glanced at us critically, then looked back at the hiker. "Sure."

"Two on two?" 

"Okay. No items."

"No items then."

She reached us and unstrapped the load from her Rhyhorn's back. 

"I choose my Rhyhorn first."

I waited. I was the obvious choice, except for Bramble, whose levels were probably too low. 

Ben called back all of the team except for Javelin and me. 

"You go, Slowpoke."

I suddenly realised that he didn't know all of my moves. Oh well - he had been watching me fight for most of the day. And there was no way I could lose this one - I had the advantage of type, level, and sheer experience. 

Ben decided to start with the basics. 

"Water Gun, Slowpoke!" 

I shot a spray of water at the Rhyhorn, controlling it so that it hit her in a wide spray, not a thin jet. 

Without needing a command, the Rhyhorn charged. 

"Slowpoke! Dodge!"

I felt slightly irritated. Raoul had known better than to give us commands like that. I wasn't dumb, and I didn't feel like sitting around when a Pokémon was attacking me. 

I executed his orders, along with a trick of my own - soaking the ground between me and the Rhyhorn with water. It wouldn't make her slip, or slow her down, but it would decrease HP. 

"Stomp!" said the Rhyhorn's trainer. Right. 

Raoul's training took over. I used Disable, bringing the Rhyhorn to a crashing halt. Next, I used Confusion, flipping the Rock/Ground attacker onto her back, then I sprayed her sensitive, less protected stomach with water. She was out of it. 

There was a charged silence, then Ben returned me to my Pokéball. I'd blown it. Ben had wondered, but now he was sure that I had been previously trained. So what would he do with the information?

The only other Pokémon he called out was the Spearow. I dimly heard the sound of a Fighting Pokémon calling out its name - Machop. Good, then; Javelin should do well. 

Raoul sat helplessly on the cheerfully-patterned sofa in the Pokémon Centre waiting room. He wasn't the only one. 

"How many of yours did they take?" asked a competitor. 

"All," said Raoul. He added ironically, "And you?"

The girl, younger than him, grimaced, and said, "Four, but they were my best."

Raoul returned to staring at the pattern on the sofa. It was geometric, a pattern in blue, green, cream, and gray. 

Some of the robbed competitors were out there right now, in the Sunlands Desert, looking for more escapees from the crashed truck; others were trying to lead their own missions against Team Rocket. Some had gone home, and wouldn't train again.

Raoul wasn't among them, but nor was he doing anything right now - just staring at the pretty pattern. Give me half an hour more, he thought. I need it. 

Then he'd start calling round. He'd transferred some of his Pokémon to other owners, in the earlier days of Pokémon training. He could try and get them back, on 'loan', perhaps; surely those he'd given Pokémon to would sympathise. 

One of those Pokémon, especially, might help him regain the others; an Abra, who had trained with Jag and Sylvia. 

I named him Druid, remembered Raoul. Then I started naming them with things they could pronounce. 

I wonder if his trainer evolved him? 

There had been Nina, a female Nidoran… not an inspired name, but it suited her… and a flyer, Murkrow, Omen…

He pulled out a piece of paper and began making a list of all the Pokémon he had given away, all their new trainers, and all their presumed locations…

And finally, he picked up the phone, to place a call to Saffron City Gym.

Elizabeth, the Junior Trainer he'd been looking for, answered the phone.

"Raoul! Good timing! Where're you calling from?"

"Celadon," said Raoul grimly, and let her figure it out. 

"How many of yours did they take?" asked Elizabeth quietly, after a pause. 

"All," said Raoul. 

Both of them were silent for a minute. Elizabeth bowed her head.

"I'm calling people up," Raoul said. "While the investigations are on, I need a team. I don't know if you can spare Omen and Druid…"

"Of course I can," said Elizabeth. "And - you're at the Pokémon Centre, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"I think I'll come visit you. I'm due a holiday break."

"Elizabeth - _thanks!_"

"Oh come on. You need some help here. And after what you've done for me, you don't expect me not to get involved in this. I imagine I'll be here tomorrow morning. Don't do anything without me."

And she winked, and cut him off. He felt happier.

Again, when I was released, we were in the wilderness. Ben had stopped for a late afternoon lunch.

He said nothing, did nothing, about my battle skills. He didn't even give me any funny looks. When I stared at him, he looked at me and raised his eyebrows, as if to ask why. He didn't seem surprised, but nor did he seem naïve. 

I shelved the problem.

I wondered if it would be possible to communicate with Ben, since he couldn't 'hear' what we said. I wondered. 

There was a technique Raoul's friend had taught me - pictures, in the air and the water - but I wasn't strong enough to use it.

Yet. 

But what if I needed to evolve to be strong enough? That would be too late. And I had no idea how much power I needed - just that, when I tried, I failed, and Elizabeth had said that pure psychic strength was the key. 

After lunch, we walked south-southwest, out of our Pokéballs again. We fought the Pokémon we saw along the way. We made camp in the dark. In the morning, we continued on our inland route to Fuschia.

In the second afternoon, Javelin evolved. 

She knew what it meant and didn't seem to regret it at all. Instead, emerging from the white light, she wore a triumphant expression.

Ben, however, was expressionless. He hung a berry around her neck on a 'string' made of grasses. He looked around at the area, deemed it suitable for a Fearow to live in, and gave us a few minutes to say goodbye. 

I hung back, not really having anything to say.

Joel and Blazebrand thanked her for helping out on the team, and wished her luck in a friendly way. The others said quiet things to her. I settled for simply wishing her luck, and she looked at me with a glint in her eye. "Won't need it," she retorted, confidently. I appreciated that sentiment, and winked at her.

We moved off. We were in a valley, covered in short, thick trees and scrubs, and once we'd left Javelin, our path rose over a ridge. It took us about three quarters of an hour to reach the top. 

Ben seemed to have made a point of _not_ looking back. Poor guy. His face hadn't changed from 'expressionless', although I gathered that Javelin hadn't bonded very strongly with him. I wondered how he'd make himself release Blazebrand or Joel. 

I looked back, however, once we were on the ridge. I wanted to see if I could still see Javelin.

And I did. 

As she dived away from a Team Rocket helicopter. 

"SLOOOOOW!" I screamed. "SLOW! Poke! Lo-poke! SLOOW!"

Everyone turned around. We were still all out of our Pokéballs, of course, but although Pokémon supposedly have quicker reflexes, it was Ben who first understood what was happening.

"But Slowpoke," he said in anguish, "she's a free Pokémon. I released her. I can see the Team Rocket logo, but they're not doing anything against the law. They've got the right to capture her. They can do that!"

Javelin took cover in some trees, but, almost immediately, broke out again. Ben watched her, silently mouthing words. 

"I don't care!" he yelled, as if to himself. He turned back to the path - back the way we'd come, in Javelin's direction. Then he Returned all of us with a jab at his belt - all except Blazebrand. 

Raoul woke up with an odd feeling that he was at sea. 

Someone was 'shaking' him - gently. Pushing him back and forth - rolling him, almost - to make him wake up. 

"Nurse Joy?" he mumbled, opening his eyes and waiting for them to focus.

"Oh, so _that's_ the name you call out in your dreams," teased a familiar voice. 

"Shut up. I do not," muttered Raoul, his eyes clearing to meet Elizabeth's blue-gray ones. 

"Although the Joys are a lot rougher when they give you wake-up calls. Thanks." He smiled up at her, then yawned, sat up on the Pokémon Centre sofa, and stretched an arm over his head. 

His other arm went down to his belt. He froze, feeling empty space. Elizabeth sighed. 

Suddenly, under his hand, he felt two minimised balls - Elizabeth using her Psychic skills. "They're glad to come back to you," Elizabeth told him. "They like me well enough, of course, you saw to that before you gave them to me, but I guess I just don't equal their former trainer." Her voice had a smile in it. "Why don't you go take a shower, and I'll help tidy your stuff up. Omen and Druid can wait."

She was being so nice to him. Sometimes he wished it were a little more than that. Right now he _really_ wished it, now that she was here in front of him, and holding out a shoulder to cry on. With these thoughts in his mind, he only managed a grunt and another smile, as he put the two Pokéballs down, took some clean clothes out of his pack and headed off to take a shower. 

Elizabeth grinned at his departing back. He could be so cute sometimes. And he always smiled for her. 

He hadn't really left much of a mess - just blankets that needed to be folded, stuff like that. There was a piece of paper sticking out of his backpack, and before she could stop herself, she went over to read it. 

It was nothing personal. She wouldn't have continued reading it if it had been - Elizabeth wasn't that kind of person. It was just a list of various trainers, locations, and Pokémon that Raoul had given them in the past. "Elizabeth Cunningham, Saffron City Psychic Gym, Omen, Druid," she read. Her name was the first one on the list. 

Elizabeth blinked. "Hey, I feel special," she murmured. She did.

She didn't want to call Druid or Omen out of their Pokéballs - not yet, not until Raoul was back - but to fill the space in her corner of the quiet, morning Pokémon Centre, she touched a ball on her own belt, and released her Alakazam. Letting him take stock of the surroundings, she continued down the list.

There were about fifteen people on the list, each with either one or two Pokémon nicknames written next to his or her name. Their locations ranged all over Kanto, and further, as one person was listed as living in Newbark Town, while Raoul had written 'Kumquat Island' for another. 

She knew he'd traveled a lot. He'd gone as far west as the Ilex Forest, and north along the valleys of the Indigo Line of mountains - he'd told her of plans to tour the Orange Islands, and she was sure he would have done that by now.

It was an interesting way to train Pokémon, she thought, giving them away to people. Well - that made it sound as if he just scattered them, but if the way she'd been given Omen and Druid was typical, he did nothing of the sort. She got the idea that it just happened that way to him, that he didn't go actively looking for people to pair up with his Pokémon, but that he simply found them. And, of course, the preference of his Pokémon was as important as it should be.

"Kaz?" said Psilence, as she hadn't yet turned round. 

"It won't quite be a holiday, Psilence," she told him, "but it'll definitely be a change. And _you'll_ get enough rest, I'm sure."

"Kazam," agreed Psilence cheerfully. 

Even she, an excellent Psychic, had not been able to discover what it was that was holding Psilence back from developing his power. She'd tried everything. She'd briefly stopped training him altogether, making him so miserable that it had taken weeks to make up to him for it. As a disciple of the Saffron Psychic Gym, she'd naturally taken the problem to her leader. Sabrina, after deep communication with Psilence - then a newly-evolved Kadabra - had concluded that Psilence himself didn't know what he wanted - only that he wasn't happy.

And then Raoul had appeared, visiting the Gym as most trainers do, and opted to battle its junior trainers, which wasn't an unusual decision either. She had praised him on the condition of his Abra, and he had given her a thoughtful look and showed her the way Druid worked with his Murkrow. 

She had been fascinated, and the conversation moved to her own training techniques, and to her problems with Psilence.

Raoul, surprisingly, had asked if Psilence could show Druid some of his techniques. 

And, as they stepped back from their Pokémon, she had watched in amazement as slowly, surely, Psilence took Druid through a technique she had thought he didn't want to use. She had watched as Druid picked it up - it was a pattern of teleporting used to evade certain attacks - and watched as Psilence developed it, making it just a little more complicated, 'porting more and more efficiently, and leading Druid in his wake.

"_Docendo discimus,"_ had murmured Raoul, at her side. She'd looked at him, and he'd looked alive, happy - and happy for Druid, she could tell with her empathy. Even happy for Psilence. 

Which had helped relieve the guilt she felt at having a stranger point out the solution. 

He'd asked her to take Druid for him, and Omen too, and although the request had puzzled her, she'd agreed. Perhaps, she'd thought, the two were especially attached to each other. But they didn't seem to be.

Later, it was she who'd grown interested in the Murkrow. Alone of the Gym trainers, she'd discovered she was fascinated by Dark Pokémon, despite and because of their strength against her Psychic skills and Pokémon. She'd learned so much about them. She'd done new things in training. The other Junior Trainers and even Sabrina had come to value her more. 

It was like a fairy-tale ending, and it had been written by Raoul. He was such a special trainer that way. All true trainers should have the gift that he seemed to have - that of creating and finding the bonds between any humans and Pokémon, not just those that existed around _him_. 

Still holding the piece of paper, she folded a blanket without touching it, having first checked to see if anyone was watching her. She glanced at the paper again. Only two names were crossed off - hers, and the third name on the list. Next to that name were two Pokémon - 'Nina' and 'Dill'. She put the paper away. 

She looked up to see Raoul in the doorway, looking at Psilence.

"That's not -" she began, afraid he might mistake Psilence for Druid, not having seen him in such a long time.

"Oh, I know," he reassured her, matter-of-factly. "That's Psilence, isn't it? Or was it Psiren?" He was still looking at her Alakazam. "Besides, I know you wouldn't have evolved my Druid _twice_ without telling me."

He was leaning against the doorway but he still looked tall. He had long lean fingers and quick wrists, and a distant look on his dark face, where the acne had cleared. He could have told you that his ancestors came from the Middle Eastern region, as it was called back then. After all, he would then say indignantly, he'd been to _school_. He couldn't seem to take his brown eyes off his Pokémon. Poor Raoul was obviously thinking of his own - and she didn't even _have_ to snoop.

"Hi, Psilence," he greeted, and looked back at her. 

"So - Druid? Omen? Can I see them?"

There we go! Chapter 4! I updated for the first time in… what, nine months? Yay!

Now for my kind reviewers!

Lightning-Strike: Thanks to you, I have finally finished this chapter. I wasn't sure how to fit Raoul in, but now I've realised that his perspective is quite necessary to the story. So thank you. :)

Farla: Yep, you are exactly right. Ben is very similar to Ash. But he's not as stupid, and he _does_ care. And he's going to learn a few things.

Miss Black Dragon: Thanks for sticking with me! Here you go!


	5. Rescue

****

NB: You actually owe this chapter to Farla, because she motivated me to write it. Thanks, Farla.

Review thank-yous, as always, at the end of the chapter *smile*.

Return: Zoe's Story, by Morbane: A Pokémon Tale  
Chapter 5

It felt like less than a minute later that my Pokéball was flung with such violence that I, having been automatically released, found myself sprawled on a rock. 

Amazed, I saw that Ben was also on the ground. Blazebrand, her mane- and spur-fires dancing wildly, bent towards him, whickering, and he painfully reached up to her. Scrabbling in the dirt, he returned me. 

Although my Ball was shaken around tremendously, I wasn't flung out again. When I was finally released onto the path, Ben and Blazebrand looked much the worse for wear. Clearly, Ben couldn't ride, and had done his best to cling onto Blazebrand in the interest of emergency speed.

What a ride they must have had. I pitied them both, and for their courage, they increased in my estimation. 

We were now right up close to the swooping Team Rocket helicopter. I didn't know how Javelin had been evading it, but I was sure that we could never have arrived too soon. 

"Bramble!" coughed Ben. "Best Razor Leaf you've got - aim above the cockpit!"

I could help here. Javelin passed over us, and as the helicopter dived again, Bramble shot just three leaves. I concentrated on the middle one - so that it actually penetrated the metal. They must have felt that. The helicopter zigged a bit and then landed, so close that we were forced to back away. 

Behind us, there was a huge crash. 

"Javelin!" said Ben, horrified. The helicopter began to rise again, and Ben turned, and ran. 

"It's me, Javelin!" he screamed, and threw a Pokéball. He was just in time. The helicopter swooped over him, and a black and white ball with a red 'R' bounced off the ground where Javelin had lain. 

As one, Ben's team and I rushed to surround him. Backing him up, we waited. The helicopter slowly, ominously lowered itself into the clearing that Javelin's crash had made. 

Ben released Javelin behind him, and she collapsed with a low, harsh cry, onto the path. Her wings were spiked with twigs and brambles. She was a mess - an exhausted mess. 

"She has Fly," Grit whispered to me. "That's why they want her."

So that was how she'd managed to evade the helicopter. 

"How'd she get that move?!"

"Later."

Two Team Rocketeers jumped down from the now-silent helicopter. 

"That's our Fearow," the taller snapped. He was a man in his early thirties and his partner was no younger. "We found her, we pursued her, we weakened her. You should know you've got no right to her. Hand her over."

"No."

Elizabeth picked up his belt from where he'd lain it on the couch, and activated both its balls at once. "Druid! Omen! Time for your homecoming."

The Pokéballs burst open. Raoul was divebombed by Omen and hugged around the waist by Druid. "Hi," he said, smiling, and all too glad to be practically attacked. 

"Toldja they were happy to come back," Elizabeth said. 

Raoul nodded, looking rather emotional. He made his way to the couch and sat down, immediately joined by his Kadabra and Murkrow. 

Elizabeth smiled, and beckoned Alakazam to follow her out of the room. Raoul looked up, confused, and she shrugged. "Back in a minute," she said. 

They're very special Pokémon, Psilence 'pathed without jealousy. 

Well, he's an extraodinary trainer, she reminded him, and he sent her a mental chuckle.

They can do it, he added. 

You'll need to help. Are you sure they're up to... what we're planning? We're talking about Team Rocket here! For all I know, they're far ahead in their Dark defenses... Elizabeth mentally shuddered.

There's nothing that'll stop Omen and Druid, working together, Psilence told her. They can be defeated in battle, of course, but you yourself don't realise how unique we are. Remember that Omen helped Druid evolve - by lending him energy - he's different, and Omen made him that way. And it wouldn't have worked if they hadn't already been different... Elizabeth followed his thoughts into the Pokémon Centre's lounge, where the two Pokémon were. Their minds were like a Venn diagram, of which the two circles overlapped just a small bit... Raoul, by training them together in the beginning, had started something amazing.

There are different kinds of differences, Elizabeth said cryptically. I just hope that this difference is one that'll help us.

The Rocket looked completely taken back by Ben's refusal. 

"No?" his partner said, a small smile giving her the chance to bare her teeth. "Look at us. Are you sure about that?" She was only barely shorter than her partner; they were both tall. Neither looked especially muscular but I would have bet that they were both stronger than Ben. She had short, dull orange hair, and he had black hair. They wore sunglasses, pale ones through which their eyes could be seen, but not their eyes' colour.

"I could call Officer Jenny with this," Ben pointed out, holding up his Pokédex-attached phone. "I wonder how she'd settle the matter."

"No Jenny's going to catch us," said the man, smirking. "We'll be away before she gets us. And if not, perhaps... tell her there will be hostages... taken..."

"He's bluffing," Grit muttered to me.

"But Ben believes him," I hissed back.

"Javelin's my Pokémon," Ben said, tossing the Pokéball he'd just caught her with in one hand. "Registered to me. But I'll fight you for her, two on two, no revival."

The man smirked even more. I wasn't surprised. Being given a challenge by a thirteen-year-old boy must seem like a joke to him. "Of course," he agreed. "And when we win, we'll take all of your Pokémon, boy. Team Rocket doesn't do things in a small way."

Ben didn't waver. "Joel," he said, and he handed Bramble a potion for Javelin. The female Rocket laughed, her laugh tinkly, like ice cubes in a glass. 

"Go ahead - heal her. It'll save our money."

"I've chosen my first champion," Ben reminded her. 

"Go.... Dugtrio." She threw the ball high into the air, in a showy way more common to a certain clique of posh trainers. Its Pokémon formed on the ground. 

"Fight."

Joel faced his opponent, looking absolutely terrified. He began to growl. It wasn't an attack and it wasn't words - just defiance. 

"Neeee!" Blazebrand cried... cheering him on. 

It was a brutal battle. Joel flung himself all over the place, trailing fire behind him, trying to avoid the Dugtrio's Dig. He used Bite on the one occasion when he could, but it was the only time he was able to get physical contact with his opponent. He chased the advantaged Ground-type with hopeless fire attacks. Eventually, Dugtrio was burned, but by that time, Joel was barely on his feet. 

Ben snatched up an item. The bloody noble idiot - he strode into the battlefield and sprayed a Super Potion all over Joel. Then Dugtrio emerged from underground and most of the Dig power (coming from vibrations in the earth that the Dugtrio had set up) hit Ben. 

He went green, buckled - Blazebrand leapt forward, snatched him away by grabbing his clothes in her jaws, and dumped him two metres away where he was violently sick. He looked awful. A huge bruise bloomed on his leg. He tried to kneel and failed the first time. 

The Rockets looked on, absolutely astounded. Ben choked, when he could look up, "There were no rules about items. Just no revives." 

Of course, trainers rarely used items in mid-battle, at the cost of danger and pain. 

Both Dugtrio and Joel seemed to have paused in their battle. Joel shook himself, snarled, and used Takedown while the Rockets were distracted. Dugtrio fell, and Joel's legs shook. He snarled again. 

Wordlessly, the Rocket woman returned her Pokémon. 

Her team member called out a Gloom.

I was sure that Blazebrand would ordinarily have been Ben's next choice, but not only was Ben preoccupied, Blazebrand was tired - more tired than she looked - from her ride here. 

I was the only high-level Pokémon left. I walked forward, past Joel and towards the Gloom, as though this had been Ben's plan all along. 

Grass against Water was bad news for me; Psychic against Poison was bad news for them. I used Confusion. It grazed the Gloom, who leapt aside.

Hurriedly, afraid of certain Grass attacks that a Team Rocket Pokémon might have, I used Rain Dance... enough to dim the sunlight. 

That wasn't wise. Aided by my delay, Sleep Powder was the Rocket man's next order.

Unnnghhh...

"Water Gun, Zoe! Hurry!"

It was a Pokémon voice... I obeyed, using instinct to wash water over myself, and as my mind cleared I recognised Javelin's words. Despite the mist I'd gathered in the air, the Gloom's powder had still been effective.

But I was alert again. I was fighting for all of them now. 

I blasted the Gloom with Confusion until it fell. I felt funny... confused... mentally tired from all the energies I'd been focusing through my brain. 

I joined Joel at the sidelines. Ben, now standing, (although he was leaning against Blazebrand's side,) smiled. 

"Bramble," he whispered, "vine whip." In moments, each Rocket was secured by one vine around each of their necks and chests, their arms pinned down to their sides. 

"Now what am I going to do with you?" asked Ben. His grin wasn't friendly. 

"You know," he added thoughtfully, "I think I would have time to call Officer Jenny..."

"You get us caught, and we'll get even with you," snarled the man. "Team Rocket will put a price on your head."

Yeah right, I thought scornfully. Why would Team Rocket waste effort on a barely-teenage trainer, even if he could beat a pair of their members? It was far more likely that these two would get reprimanded or laughed at for being defeated by Ben.

"Turn around," Ben ordered pleasantly, "unless you want second-degree burns, at least." Puzzled, they obeyed.

My mind was clearing. I began to drag Joel and myself back to the rest of the team. Ben frowned, and tossed us each a berry. They helped tremendously.

"You don't know my name," Ben continued, "just my team and my general appearance. I could have my Slowpoke wipe those memories easily enough."

I looked up at him. I hoped that was a bluff. I didn't think I could actually do that - and even if I had enough power, which I didn't think I did, I'd never have the control.

My mind was clearing. I began to drag Joel and myself back to the rest of the team. Ben frowned, and tossed us each a berry. They helped tremendously.

"Slowpoke can't do that," the Rocket woman said assuredly.

"Are you willing to take a risk on that?"

"Yep," she said with confidence. 

"Hmm..."

Now I cursed my inability to communicate with Ben. I thought that if I used a custom-tailored Confusion on the two adults, I might muddle them enough to create the effect Ben wanted. But I couldn't say it. I jumped up and down to get his attention, and then tried to mime - I sent a silent Confusion attack off to the side, then pointed at me, then pointed at them, then -

But it hadn't been a good idea to tell the pair to turn around. 

Bramble suddenly screamed - "Saaaaur!" He whipped back the vine he'd been holding the man with; the Rocket man triumphantly brandished a knife. He must have had it in his pockets or something - he must have been working it free all this time... Bramble's right vine bled from a shallow wound, with the viscous, sap-like blood that Bulbasaur have.

The man brought the knife down towards his partner's bindings, but before he could slash Bramble's other vine, Bramble withdrew that one too. More quickly than we could stop them, they leapt for their helicopter, recalling the Gloom along the way. 

I couldn't use Confusion on them now that they were protected by the walls of the helicopter, but I could use Disable and hold the helicopter in the air. It wasn't easy... I was slipping... the helicopter rose a fraction. I hoped they hadn't noticed.

Ben had.

"I'll let you go," Ben shouted, "if you give me one of your Pokémon."

What was he playing at now??

Incredibly, the Rocketeers laughed.

"Why here you go! I'm sure it's fair, after all, we did lose to you. Enjoy your new Pokémon!" they cried from the cockpit, and as they tossed a Pokéball out, my Disable crumbled. 

"Dammit," cursed Ben, "they got away."

He moved to Javelin's side and released (hopefully) the new Pokémon as, with his other hand, he began to remove some of the debris from Javelin's wings. 

But the new Pokémon was a shocking sight. 

It was a tiny, tiny Persian, with fur coming away in patches, with its ribs showing, and its eyes dulled. Ben dropped to his knees beside it, his mouth open, as the rest of us gathered round, almost afraid to touch the poor creature for the obvious tenderness of its skin. 

Now for my kind reviewers!

Pikacar/Marle: I'm glad you like it! Here you go, and I didin't even take ONE month, thanks to Farla, so… enjoy, I guess!

Lightning-Strike: Aahhhh! Okay, I saved Javelin. I was always _going_ to. No more creative names, but even so, I hope you like this chapter!

Miss Black Dragon: Thanks, again, for sticking with me! Javelin has been rescued so I hope you're happy. ;) I'll try and give Raoul a bit more of the spotlight in later chapters, okay? Things are starting to get moving!

Farla: Thanks for your perceptive comments, which motivated me to write this chapter. I'm glad that you think Raoul is a competent, compassionate trainer; what with all the fics that people (like you) have written, pointing out the negative side of Pokémon, it becomes harder and harder to write about trainers who are defensibly 'good', and 'responsible'. I don't mean that in a negative way. It's just that your arguments for the negative side of Pokémon are so compelling. I'm honoured to think I've managed to create at least one defensible trainer. 


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